The Saudi Arabian artist Abdulnasser Gharem is moving ahead with the Riyadh-based Gharem Art Foundation, which organises seminars and classes for local art students. But Gharem tells us of a recent hitch in his plans for a life-drawing class. “I wanted some of my students to draw a [female] mannequin,” he says. “But the delivery company in Dubai told me that they would not deliver it to Saudi. I might just take it apart and reassemble it when it arrives.” Gharem, who is known for his 2007 performance piece Flora and Fauna, says there is a serious point to the saga. “This is a response to Islamic State; we must fight this ideology with educational activities,” he says.
